NEW DELHI, Nov 25: The CBI has started a probe into allegations of corruption against Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra on a reference from anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal, officials said Saturday.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had approached the Lokpal with a complaint against Moitra over allegations of taking bribes to raise questions in Parliament.
Moitra remained combative, saying neither has Lokpal uploaded any referral order on its website as per the Lokpal Act nor has the CBI put out anything official. “Hope Rs 13,000 crore Adani coal scam merits CBI PE before my witchhunt,” she posted on X.
Officials said the CBI has started a preliminary enquiry after getting a reference from the Lokpal which is the first step towards ascertaining if the allegations merit a full-fledged investigation.
There was no formal statement from either the CBI or the Lokpal on the issue.
Dubey had accused Moitra of asking questions in Lok Sabha to target the Adani Group and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the behest of businessman Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for gifts.
He had also accused Moitra of compromising national security for monetary gains.
Moitra has denied any wrongdoing and claimed that she was being targeted as she had raised questions on the deals of the Adani group.
“Neither has Lok Pal uploaded any referral order on website as per Lokpal Act & nor has CBI put out anything official. “Sources” telling journos as per usual media circus.
“Hope ?13,000 crore Adani coal scam merits CBI PE before my witchhunt,” Moitra said on X on Saturday.
Moitra said she was “amused to see how headless Lokpal with no full-time Chairman referred” her case to the CBI.
“RTI of 3/11/23 says Lokpal has no Chairman since May 2022 and 3 of 8 member posts also vacant! Maybe Jharkhand Branch of Pitbull Association also moonlighting as Lokpal Committee under BJP,” she said on X.
The Ethics Committee of Lok Sabha has submitted its report into the ‘cash for query’ allegations against Moitra to the Speaker and it is likely to be tabled in the upcoming Winter Session.
Earlier, the Committee had adopted by majority the report that recommended Moitra’s expulsion from the House for accepting “illegal gratifications” from Hiranandani to raise questions in Parliament at his behest.
The committee had recommended Moitra’s expulsion from the Lok Sabha for “unethical conduct” and “contempt of the House’.
Breaking her silence on the issue, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee had on Thursday said that plans were afoot to expel Moitra from Parliament but any such action would help the MP from Krishnanagar ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. (PTI)
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